


the beard

by lauraxtennant



Series: Tentoo/Rose Collection [7]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Pete's World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 22:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6677584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lauraxtennant/pseuds/lauraxtennant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The part-human Doctor has much to get used to in Pete's World: contracting the flu and his inability to regulate hair growth included.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the beard

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the person who prompted this on tumblr :)

The Doctor stumbles into the bathroom and blinks wearily at himself in the mirror. “Ugh,” he mutters, stroking a hand across his face.

He’s been cooped up in their flat for over a week with the flu, on his own, and given his lack of ability, these days, to control his hair growth, a full beard has developed. He reckons that he should probably shave it off before Rose gets back from Finland; not only might she not like it, or kiss him with it, but she might not even recognise him! He’s not agile enough at the moment to deal with Rose’s Torchwood-trained martial arts skills if she comes home in the dead of night and thinks a strange man who looks nothing like the Doctor has taken up residence.

His hands go to the edge of the sink, propping himself upright as he sways unsteadily, a wave of nausea overcoming him. Okay, maybe he’s not quite well enough to attempt the art of removing one’s facial hair with a sharp blade, just yet. He slowly manoeuvres himself back into bed. Hopefully Rose will see him sprawled face down there and recognise his bum before she’s confronted with the beard and launches an attack. 

He wonders idly in his flu-medicated state if he’s perhaps imagining Rose to be more violent than she really is. In actual fact she’d probably welcome a strange man with a beard into their home and talk to him before jumping to conclusions. She’s nice like that.

He falls asleep, and drools into the pillow on Rose’s side of the bed. He dreams about her coming home and putting some Heinz tomato soup into the microwave for him. 

::

The Doctor wakes up to the feeling of fabric moving across his body. It’s still dark in the room, but he opens his eyes because she’s back. She’s back.

“Hey, shh, it’s okay, you can go back to sleep,” Rose murmurs, as she tucks him in.

She settles down on top of the covers next to him, and strokes her fingers through his hair. He tilts his head towards her, resting it against her chest, feeling pathetic but loving the attention all the same. “Missed you,” he mumbles.

“Missed you, too. How’re you feeling?”

“Better.”

“Really?”

“A bit.”

Her fingers move down the side of his face, tracing his sideburn, before stilling at his jaw. “Ha, you have a beard! Don’t think I’ve ever seen you with more than a bit of stubble, before.”

“I was worried you wouldn’t recognise me.”

“You’re daft.” She kisses forehead then reaches over to the bedside lamp, switching it on. “Let’s see, then.”

He lifts his head and gives her an indulgent look. “What do you think?”

Rose bites her lip. “You look so different.”

“Good different or bad different?”

“Just different,” she teases, and cups his cheek, thumb stroking the bristles there. “Older.”

“Oi!”

“It’s nice, though. You look distinguished.”

“That’s what people say about grey hairs to make people feel better about getting old,” he points out. Then his eyes widen. “Oh god, have I gone grey, too?”

“Since you last looked in the mirror?” Rose laughs. “No. Not yet.”

He sighs in relief, then gives her a hopeful smile. “You’ll still kiss me, then?”

“Not while you’re ill, I won’t,” she snorts. “But yeah, I’ll kiss you with the beard. See what it feels like.” She smiles cheekily. “When you’re up for it, might get you to do some other types of kissing, see what that feels like, too.”

“Oh?” She waggles her eyebrows at him, and the penny drops. The Doctor perks up, at that. “Ohhhh! Yes. Absolutely.”

“Yeah?” Rose laughs.

“Yes.” He nods emphatically, then winces, because his head feels heavy. “I think I have a sinus infection, now.”

“Poor thing.” She pats his shoulder and gets up. “I’ll go get you some toast and medicine.”

“Thanks.” He calls out to her before she leaves their bedroom. “Rose?”

“Mm?”

“Did you have a good time in Finland?”

Rose pulls a face. “It was all right. Would’ve been more fun with you. Dad paired me up with Norman.”

“Norman from Torchwood Glasgow? Norman who couldn’t tell the difference between a 23rd century rilo-gun and a hairdryer from Donopocia?” the Doctor replies, astounded by this news. “That Norman? What does he know about Ketluvians?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Rose says, sighing. “He stayed inside most of the time; didn’t even want to see the sights once we’d saved the day.”

He gives her a soft smile. “We can go back there together once my immune system has stopped trying to kill me, yeah? Have an adventure of our own.”

Rose smiles back. “Sounds perfect. Sorry you had to miss out, Doctor.”

“Mm, well,” he replies, gaze drifting down her body. “You’re back now.”

She points at him. “None of that ‘til you’re recovered.”

The Doctor raises his eyebrows innocently. “None of what? I didn’t say anything!”

“You were thinking it.”

“You were the one who brought up oral sex - ”

“Bye, Doctor,” she laughs, leaving for the kitchen.

He settles down in the covers again and prays fervently that his recovery is a swift one.


End file.
